The Eight by Katherine Neville (Epub)

Description

A fabulous, bejeweled chess set that belonged to Charlemagne has been buried in a Pyrenees abbey for a thousand years. As the bloody French Revolution rages in Paris, the nuns dig it up and scatter its pieces across the globe because, when united, the set contains a secret power that could topple civilizations. To keep the set from falling into the wrong hands, two novices, Valentine and Mireille, embark on an adventure that begins in the streets of Paris and leads to Russia, Egypt, Corsica, and into the heart of the Algerian Sahara.

Two hundred years later, while on assignment in Algeria, computer expert Catherine Velis finds herself drawn unwillingly into the deadly “Game” still swirling around the legendary chess set—a game that will require her to risk her life and match wits with diabolical forces.

This ebook features an illustrated biography of Katherine Neville including rare images from her life and travels.

User’s Reviews

Amazon.com Review Katherine Neville’s debut novel is a postmodern thriller set in 1972 … and 1790. In the 20th century, Catherine Velis is a computer expert with a flair for music, painting, and chess who, on her way to Algeria at the behest of the accounting firm where she is employed, is invited to take a mysterious moonlighting assignment: recover the pieces of an old chess set missing for centuries. In the midst of the French Revolution, a young novice discovers that her abbey is the hiding place of a chess set, once owned by the great Charlemagne, which allows those who play it to tap into incredible powers beyond the imagination. She eventually comes into contact with the major historical figures of the day, from Robespierre to Napoleon, each of whom has an agenda. The Eight is a non-stop ride that recalls the swashbuckling adventures of Indiana Jones as well as the historical puzzles of Umberto Eco which, since its first publication in 1988, has gone on to acquire a substantial cult following. –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. From the Inside Flap New York City, 1972–A dabbler in mathematics and chess, Catherine Velis is also a computer expert for a Big Eight accounting firm. Before heading off to a new assignment in Algeria, Cat has her palm read by a fortune-teller. The woman warns Cat of danger. Then an antiques dealer approaches Cat with a mysterious offer: He has an anonymous client who is trying to collect the pieces of an ancient chess service, purported to be in Algeria. If Cat can bring the pieces back, there will be a generous reward. The South of France, 1790–Mireille de Remy and her cousin Valentine are young novices at the fortresslike Montglane Abbey. With France aflame in revolution, the two girls burn to rebel against constricted convent life–and their means of escape is at hand. Buried deep within the abbey are pieces of the Montglane Chess Service, once owned by Charlemagne. Whoever reassembles the pieces can play a game of unlimited power. But to keep the Game a secret from those who would abuse it, the two young women must scatter the pieces throughout the world. . . . –This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Reviews from Amazon users, collected at the time the book is getting published on UniedVRG. It can be related to shiping or paper quality instead of the book content:

⭐ The magic of historical fiction is that it takes you to worlds out of your experience and makes them live for you. THE EIGHT is definitely a supurb example of this. The author Katherine Neville, apparently has an insatiable appetite for research because this novel is full of very complicated and varied information from chess to mathematics to science. But don’t let this scare you off or you will deny yoeurself a world of experiences from Russia of Catherine the great to France during the revolution to Arabia and even New York in the 1970’s. The mystery of ancient chess pieces that hold a terrible secret affecting the lives of people across time and place. Serious readers of historical fiction should miss this book.

⭐ Eight is an exceptional work by a superb artist who handles words like great painters handle their best paint brushes. this book will remain a treasure for me in my library forever. It is a historical fiction that feels like facts. Facts that glisten like diamonds and rubies across the centuries. I recommend this book. It entertained me and educated me about France, Charlemagne, and a quest worthy of The DaVinci Code. I even went to the internet to read her website. I never do that. Except this time. You should too. Bravo Katherine.

⭐ Highly recommended to me…but not for me. Fought my way through it only to give up 100 pages from the end. For me, life’s too short to read books I don’t enjoy and enough time had already been invest. I didn’t enjoy juggling all the characters over two periods of time. I did enjoy the historical references…until then became way too contrived. Apparently many enjoyed the book…I’m clearly in the minority. Certainly not the first time in my life.

⭐ I just finished this for the second time! The first was over 25 years ago and with age I have appreciated it even more! How does an author take historical facts and then let imagination add one fictional idea to the mix around which is built a complex story and characters that spans 200 years? It is so convincingly accomplished that I have to keep reminding myself what is real and what is not. This time around the internet and the instant word look up features in Kindle made my reading especially enjoyable. I would like to see it in a thriller of a movie but the sets and locations would cost a fortune! So enjoy on the personal movie screen in you mind!

⭐ One of my all time favorite novels. This has it all action, adventure, mystery, and a little romance. Mrs Neville times in historical characters and events with such ease it’s easy to forget you’re reading fantasy. I’ve thought for years this would make a excellent film and she as just announced on her Twitter that it’s been optioned for just that. So buy a copy before the film comes out and find out for yourself what the secret of The Eight is all about.

⭐ I took an English Literature class in which I was taught that the writer Charles Dickens was paid by the word. Thus, he became famous for his lengthy characterization and setting style of writing. Katherine Neville would have fit right in with the authors of that time. She could easily have cut out 200 pages and still told her story. Save your money.

⭐ Oh my stars,do not waste your time on this rubbish!! I have tried so hard to stay with it but it is not a good read!!!

⭐ A story that does not let you go, mixing the history of revo!utionary France and the beginning of OPEC in a captivating game of chess.I was turning the pages to see which historic figure, politician, artist, scientist or philosopher would turn up next. I highly entertaining book that I recommend highly to anybody who loves history and intrigue.

⭐ A very interesting and detail oriented ,historical adventure story with the story taking place in two different times.One timeline is in the late 1700’s and the the other in the 1970’s. The connection between the two storylines is a chess set called the Montglane which is said to have some magical features. In both storylines people are trying to get their hands on it. The story is adventure filled and I found it very interesting and highly enjoyable. Would highly recommend!

⭐ I originally read this book a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it.I’ve just finished re-reading it and was just as entertained by it this time as I was when I first read it such a long time ago.Although chess doesn’t really interest me, the numerology and the interspersing of historical facts throughout the novel kept me reading. Also, the weaving together of the two time-lines/plots bringing the reader back to the present day was, I thought, well done.Very clever.I thought the only blip in the story was the modern day romantic interest…a little contrived and formulaic but I was happy to skim read that section as it had little impact on the flow of the plot.

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